We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

Chapter 304: Moʼer, Do You Know Your Error?

Since going to the martial arts training ground to practice, Xiao Mo would wake up at the hour of mao every morning, when the sky had just barely begun to brighten. However, compared to Xiao Mo, Zhou Ruoxi woke up even earlier.

Each time after Xiao Mo finished washing up, Zhou Ruoxi would come out from the kitchen carrying hot porridge and steamed buns.

Although Cuicui could do all these things, Zhou Ruoxi insisted on making breakfast for her child every day herself.

After eating breakfast, Xiao Mo would say to his mother, ”Mother, Iʼm going to the training ground,” then run toward the training ground on his short little legs.

At the beginning, Zhou Ruoxi would escort Xiao Mo to the training ground but after half a month, once Xiao Mo had familiarized himself with the route, according to the Xiao Manorʼs rules, the child had to go by himself.

Actually, Zhou Ruoxi also knew that children must eventually grow up, and moreover the training ground was inside the Xiao Manor, so there was no danger. Other children also went by themselves.

If she kept following Moʼer and other maids of the Xiao Manor saw her breaking the rules, it wouldnʼt be good for Moʼer either.

So Zhou Ruoxi could only watch from afar as her child walked away.

After the child left, what Zhou Ruoxi did every day was wait for her child to return.

When Xiao Mo wasnʼt there, she felt her heart was empty and hollow but when Xiao Mo returned to the courtyard, Zhou Ruoxi felt her world instantly brighten.
Zhou Ruoxi would often ask her child what he had practiced that day.

Xiao Mo would also truthfully tell his mother.

Only, Xiao Mo never spoke of hardship or exhaustion.

He knew that as soon as he said anything, his mother would probably worry for a long time.

Three months passed in succession.

At the beginning, Xiao Mo was indeed not quite accustomed to waking up early every day to practice martial arts in such a small body but gradually, Xiao Mo felt it was acceptable.

During these three months, Xiao Mo hadnʼt practiced any fist techniques. Most of the time was spent on horse stance, stretching tendons and pulling bones, practicing the ”middle section,” practicing footwork, and other basic skills but Xiao Mo wasnʼt impatient.

After all, martial arts practice had to be done step by step. The foundation had to be solid.

Otherwise, any martial path would be like duckweed floating on a lakeʼs surface.

Because Xiao Mo had high talent and was strict and disciplined with himself, he worked much harder than others.

So Xiao Moʼs progress was very fast.

In just three short months, when others had just barely gotten the hang of things, Xiao Moʼs horse stance already had a sense of being ”immovable as a mountain.”

This made Instructor Huang very satisfied.

When others were resting, Instructor Huang would even give Xiao Mo some extra tutoring.

It wasnʼt that Instructor Huang wasnʼt devoted to the other Xiao Manor children.

It was just that these fellows not only didnʼt have Xiao Moʼs high talent, they werenʼt even as hardworking as Xiao Mo.

So Instructor Huang scolded those disappointing Xiao Manor children even more fiercely, with quite a feeling of hating iron for not becoming steel but because Xiao Mo was extremely hardworking and talented, Instructor Huang rarely scolded Xiao Mo.

So back and forth, quite a few children held opinions against Xiao Mo.

Especially a five-year-old boy named ”Xiao Yang.”

His age was the oldest of everyone, his height was also the tallest, and during this time he had vaguely become the king of the children at the training ground but Xiao Mo had always ignored him, which made the ”child king” feel his authority was being challenged.

Instructor Huangʼs ”favoritism” toward Xiao Mo made him even more displeased.

Thus, the ”child king” Xiao Yang decided to give this little squirt Xiao Mo a lesson.

At noon on this day, Xiao Mo sat at the training ground, eating his lunch alone.

Lunch was provided by the Xiao Manor and used the blood and flesh of some low-grade ferocious beasts, which could strengthen the childrenʼs blood qi.

Just as Xiao Mo was eating well, Xiao Yang and several people walked up before Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo raised his head and looked at them indifferently, ”Is there something?”

”Todayʼs stir-fried meat is very delicious. Give me your dish.” Xiao Yang imitated adults by crossing his arms and said.

”Hehe.” Xiao Mo laughed twice, ”What if I donʼt give it?”

”Then youʼre asking for a beating!”

With those words, Xiao Yang kicked toward Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo dodged to the side and punched Xiao Yang in the chest.

Xiao Yang felt his chest tighten and nearly lost his breath.

”Beat him up!”

Xiao Yang shouted to the lackeys beside him.

Emboldened by numbers, seven or eight little squirts pounced toward Xiao Mo but before long, they were all kicked down by Xiao Mo one by one.

They discovered Xiao Moʼs strength was impossibly great, not at all like someone their age.

”Now, put all the meat from your bowls into my bowl!”

Xiao Mo kicked the ringleader Xiao Yang.

Bruised and swollen, Xiao Yang didnʼt dare disobey and could only pour all his dishes into Xiao Moʼs bowl. The others followed suit.

After teaching them a lesson, Xiao Mo ate the mountain of stir-fried meat slices piled in his bowl, ravenously devouring his meal.

While the other little squirts could only eat the vegetables and white rice in their bowls.

In the afternoon, after the hour of you had passed halfway and the dayʼs training had ended, Xiao Mo returned home.

As soon as he arrived home, Xiao Mo saw his mother waiting for him at the courtyard gate.

”Mother.” Xiao Mo quickly walked over.

”Moʼer, youʼre back.”

Seeing the child return, Zhou Ruoxi happily walked forward, crouched down, and patted the dirt off her childʼs body.

”Hm? Moʼer, what happened to your face?”

Zhou Ruoxi saw that the right side of Xiao Moʼs cheek was somewhat bruised and immediately became nervous.

”Ah?” Xiao Mo was stunned for a moment, then brushed it off, ”Itʼs nothing, Mother. Today when your child was doing running drills, I accidentally fell.”

”You child, you should be more careful...”

Zhou Ruoxi looked at the childʼs little face with heartache, quickly had Cuicui bring out the medicine paste from the room, helped her son wash his face, then gently applied medicine to him.

After applying the medicine, Xiao Mo ate dinner, then took a hot bath. It was already the hour of xu.

Having practiced martial arts all day, Xiao Mo was indeed somewhat tired and wanted to return to his room to rest but just at this moment, a clamorous sound came from outside the courtyard.

Zhou Ruoxi raised her head and saw seven or eight women holding their childrenʼs hands, walking aggressively toward the courtyard.

Xiao Moʼs heart sank, feeling something was amiss.

These people were most likely coming to lodge complaints.

”May I ask what matter brings several elder sisters here?” Zhou Ruoxi walked forward and inquired of the group.

”Zhou Ruoxi, youʼre asking what matter?” One woman was so angry her chest heaved violently. She then pulled her child forward, ”Look at what your Xiao Mo beat our Xiao Fu into!”

”And our Xiao Gui! Look, his eye is swollen!”

”My Xiao Miao even lost a tooth!”

”Your Xiao Mo not only hit people, does he not have food himself? He even stole my sonʼs lunch!”

”And my sonʼs! Do you know my son only ate a few vegetables and white rice at noon?”

”Zhou Ruoxi! Today you must give us an explanation!”

These seven or eight women spoke one after another, just like unreasonable aunties on the street.

Zhou Ruoxi didnʼt speak immediately, but instead looked at these children.

They were indeed bruised and swollen, looking very aggrieved, but also seemed somewhat guilty.

Amid this clamor, Zhou Ruoxi looked toward her Moʼer.

Xiao Mo stood straight, his heart also somewhat nervous.

When he was young, Xiao Mo had fought at the orphanage before, but regardless of right or wrong, the director would beat both parties thirty strokes each.

Xiao Mo wasnʼt afraid of being beaten.

What Xiao Mo feared most at this moment was his mother being angry.

Zhou Ruoxi crouched down, held Xiao Moʼs little hand, and said gently, ”Moʼer, can you tell Mother exactly what happened?”

”Mother, your child was eating lunch properly at noon today. Then Xiao Yang and several people came to steal the meat from your childʼs bowl, so your child fought with them.” Xiao Mo said with his head lowered.

”Is there more?” Zhou Ruoxi continued to ask.

”Also...” Xiao Mo felt somewhat guilty, ”I stole the meat from their bowls.”

”...”

After hearing the young masterʼs description, Cuicui was stunned, doubting whether she had heard correctly.

If she remembered correctly, Xiao Yang was five years old, right?

The young master beat up someone two years older than himself, along with several other little radishes together?

”Mother understands.”

Zhou Ruoxi rubbed her sonʼs head, stood up, looked at Xiao Fu at the front, and asked gently, ”Fu Fu, tell Auntie, is it like this? Did my Moʼer lie?”

Facing this beautiful and gentle auntie, the radish-head Xiao Fu nodded and said timidly, ”It... it was like that.”

Seeing Xiao Fu admit it, Zhou Ruoxi said to these women, ”I believe all the elder sisters have heard. The children indeed had some friction. I apologize to the children on behalf of my Moʼer but children having disputes is a normal thing, and moreover my Moʼer was bullied first.

Now for all the elder sisters to come so ostentatiously to demand justice, isnʼt that somewhat improper?”

”Thatʼs right, thatʼs right.” Cuicui quickly stepped forward and said, ”Moreover, several of them bullied our young master, but ended up beaten by our young master instead. That seems rather embarrassing.”

”Cuicui.” Zhou Ruoxi lightly reprimanded the maid.

Only then did Cuicui close her little mouth and stop speaking.

”Even so, our children were merely instigated by Xiao Yang. Why did your Xiao Mo strike so heavily? And even steal our childrenʼs lunch?” One woman said unreasonably, ”Zhou Ruoxi, today you must have your child apologize! Otherwise weʼll report this to the First Madam!”

Zhou Ruoxi still shook her head, ”Apologizing is appropriate, but apologizing should also be mutual. Whoever did wrong first should apologize first, then my Moʼer will apologize.”

”Fine, fine, fine! Zhou Ruoxi, just you wait! I want to see just how arrogant you, a concubine sent from another nation, can be!”

The leading woman swept her sleeve and pulled her child, heading toward the First Madamʼs place but after they hadnʼt walked a few steps, they felt their backs being hit by pebbles several times.

Turning around to look, Xiao Mo was picking up stones and throwing them at them.

”Moʼer!” Zhou Ruoxi quickly pulled him back, protecting the child behind her.

”You just wait for us!”

The leading woman was furious, but she couldnʼt go beat up a three-year-old child. She could only leave angrily, otherwise if this matter spread, she wouldnʼt need to go out anymore.

Before long, the courtyard once again returned to nighttime quiet but Zhou Ruoxi turned around and looked at her son, her expression carrying some conflict and solemnity.

”Mother...” Xiao Mo blinked his eyes.

”Cuicui, go fetch the discipline ruler from my room.” Zhou Ruoxi said, pinching her small hands.

”Madam...” Cuicui knew what the madam was going to do and felt quite reluctant.

”Go fetch it.” Zhou Ruoxi repeated once more.

Cuicui had no choice but to go fetch the discipline ruler from the room.

Zhou Ruoxi crouched down, her slender hand holding the ruler trembling slightly as she said to the child, ”Moʼer, extend your hand.”

Xiao Mo knew he was going to be struck and could only extend his hand.

”Moʼer, do you remember what you promised Mother before?” Zhou Ruoxi asked.

”I remember...” Xiao Mo nodded, ”Mother said I cannot fight with other children. If Iʼm bullied, I should tell Mother immediately, and Mother will uphold justice for me.”

”Then Moʼer, did you do that?”

”I... I didnʼt.”

”Do you know your error?”

Xiao Mo shrank his neck, ”Your child knows his error...”

”Smack.” Zhou Ruoxi gripped the ruler and struck the childʼs palm, making a crisp sound.

”Mother also told you that children cannot lie. You clearly fought, yet deceived Mother by saying you fell. Moʼer, do you know your error?”

”Your child knows his error.”

”Smack.” Zhou Ruoxi struck a second time.

”You just now were disrespectful to several elders by throwing stones. Moʼer, do you know your error?”

This time, Xiao Mo raised his head, ”Your child did no wrong.”

Zhou Ruoxi bit her thin lip lightly and crisply struck a third time with the ruler, ”Do you know your error or not?”

”Your child did no wrong.” Xiao Mo still insisted.

”Do you know or not.” Zhou Ruoxi struck a fourth time.

”Your child did no wrong.”

”You...”

Just as Zhou Ruoxi was about to strike a fifth time.

Cuicui had already walked over and quickly pulled Xiao Mo away, ”Madam, itʼs already late. Young Master has practiced martial arts all day and is already very tired. Let Young Master go rest first. Iʼm sure Young Master will know his error tomorrow.”

Zhou Ruoxi pressed her thin lips together, glanced at her child, then finally stood up and walked back to her own room.

”Young Master, go sleep first. Tomorrow Madamʼs anger will have subsided. Actually, everything Madam does is for Young Masterʼs good.” Cuicui said to Xiao Mo.

”Aunt Cui, I know.”

Xiao Mo nodded, glanced at his motherʼs door, knowing his mother was still angry, and could only return to his room to sleep first.

Deep in the night.

In Zhou Ruoxiʼs room, the candle flame kept burning.

She sat in a chair, looking at the discipline ruler placed on the table, recalling the four strikes to her childʼs palm. Each strike felt as if it had struck her own heart.

”Smack, smack, smack!”

Zhou Ruoxi picked up the ruler and struck her own palm forcefully again and again.

Only after beating her own palm painful and red did Zhou Ruoxi stop.

At the hour of zi, Zhou Ruoxi stood up, walked out of her room, and quietly came to her childʼs room.

Walking to the childʼs bedside, Zhou Ruoxi gently grasped Xiao Moʼs right hand that had been struck.

She took out medicine paste and carefully applied medicine to the child while gently blowing on it.

Looking at the red marks on that small hand, Zhou Ruoxi felt her heart aching faintly.

”Mother.” Xiao Mo drowsily opened his eyes and saw his mother at the bedside, ”Mother, Iʼm sorry. Your child shouldnʼt have made Mother angry. But Mother, your child still feels throwing stones at them was not wrong.”

”Why?” Zhou Ruoxi didnʼt understand why her Moʼer was so stubborn.

”Because they insulted Mother.” Xiao Mo said seriously, ”Your child said before that I would protect Mother well. No one can bully Mother!”

Hearing the childʼs words, Zhou Ruoxi was slightly stunned, her eyes covered with a thin mist, ”Silly child.”

”Mother, Iʼm not silly.”

”Yes, Moʼer isnʼt silly.”

Zhou Ruoxi bent down and gently kissed the childʼs forehead. Crystalline tears slid down her fair cheeks, her voice carrying a slight tremor.

”Moʼer isnʼt silly...

The silly one is... Mother.”